Fiesta Charra: Preserving the Culture of Mexico

We are Xcaret

Héctor Flores: A Mexican Pride in Xcaret

Hector Flores proudly carries daily his charro suit to let visitors from around the world leave with an unforgettable image of Mexico and to continue a tradition that passes from generation to generation.

We dedicate this special blog post to one of the employees who works every day with the taste and pleasure of entertaining, showing the best of Mexico, 365 days a year.

What is your name?

Hector Flores Vargas

What is your job at Xcaret Park?

I am part of the horse show, I am a charro and I perform in the Fiesta Charra every day.

How did you get to Xcaret and for how charrería practices?

I arrived at the park in 1996 with the Ballet Folklorico, I have been here for seven years with the equestrian team. The charrería is a practice of a lifetime and it was inherited by my grandfather, my uncles and my father.

How has it been to belong to a Park like Xcaret?

I am proud to work in a park like this, there are tourists who ask you to take a picture. I like the appreciation and gratitude of everyone who comes. Receive people from all over the world and show them the traditions of my country is priceless.

At what age did you start and you have participated in competitions?

I begin riding since childhood and to compete in the year 1990. My first competition was in Quintana Roo and after, I just kept going.

What has been your biggest challenge in this profession?

They are hard all competitions so called charro, because you never know what will happen to you. Suddenly you earn nerves. I have had several falls, two years ago I sprained my foot and then blows on the hands, but if the foot was a bit strong.

What is the hardest “suerte” that you have done?

The horsemanship is very risky because there are competitions where you’re playing with your life, because sometimes you have to ride a bull, a horse, make the passage from death. I have had to do all the “suertes”, I have had to compete in full cowboy mode, but the most difficulto is the “pailes.”

What constitutes “the piales”?

There are very few who have donde it and it is truly difficult.

The breadth of the canvas has a distance of 60 meters, you pass a mare running all the way down and you have to lasso the animal from the hind legs and stop his career with a long rope bound to the head of the frame. You have to take a turn at the top of the frame and until it stops or burst the rope, if you grab the two legs, you’ll receive a favorable score.

How does it feel to be part of the charro team and show our visitors the world the image of the rodeo, as an emblem of our country?

It’s nice to come here every day and do something that in no other country means more than in Mexico, which is the rodeo, the flourish of rope, the “suerte”, the skirmish. Even the Mexicans who do not have much knowledge of horsemanship leave happy.

What message would you give to people who want to play the sport?

Get involved in “charreria”, investigate, as we often get confused with mariachi. I invite you to recognize the differences. We also invite you to attend the competitions. There is a national championship every year that is made in different parts of the Republic. This year, we will compete in Zacatecas. They will gather around 150 associations across the country.